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Re: Tickled pink with my PPA *Bling*

Hmm, as I understood it, you aren't supposed to pin non-PPA pins on the degree ribbons, like the kodak/fuji awards and even the certification pin. It would be good to research this.

I've searched all over the PPA website and can't find anything official on this.
I've always understood it to be the same as Michael said - PPA awards only on PPA degree ribbons - No Kodaks, Fuji's or state or local award pins. But it would only seem sensible that such items as a PPA National Award pin, a 30 year PPA membership pin, or a PTY pin would rightly belong on the PPA degree ribbon. Where else should something like that be displayed? After all, they give special bars for certain numbers of print merits and they give an Imaging Excellence Award for a certain number of Loan Collection prints, so it would seem reasonable that if you put four in the Loan Collection in one year, that that accomplishment should be displayed on your ribbon... But I'm still searching for something official...

The best way to gain for yourself is to give OF yourself.
- - - So get out there and volunteer for something ...

Re: Tickled pink with my PPA *Bling*

I could be all wet. I know on our state degrees it says you are not supposed to put any other pins etc on the ribbon with the exception of a past presidents gavel. I always thought it was the same with PPA degrees and I KNOW I have heard others say the same. I have a lanyard I got at Imaging a bunch of years ago that has all my Kodaks, Fuji's, POTY, state 4 for 4 pins etc. I keep it with my national and state degrees and just take it with me when I am taking my other ribbons. I think I heard somewhere that the National awrd is the only pin that is supposed to go on your national degree ribbons. Maybe all these years I've had it all wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

Re: Tickled pink with my PPA *Bling*

So I went to the expert! Helen Yancy. I was wrong. Any PPA pins such at National Award, CPP or POTY are considered ok. No other pins like Fuji or Kodak. I think I will still continue to keep my POTY on the lanyard because I still need that for the Gallery awrds and Masterpiece awards.

Re: Tickled pink with my PPA *Bling*

This is a little humorous for me to read, because all I have is my CPP pin and now the Bronze POTY pin - but I have no ribbon at all - SO - if you have no ribbon - how do you display these? Or do they just have to hang out in the jewelry box until a ribbon/medallion is earned?

Wen I was at the MidEast regionals I had a nametag with ribbons attached to it showing my CPP and volunteer status and I attached my Presidents pins to those - is that where I should display the "award" pins? And other pins that are not allowed to be on a degree medallion ribbon?

Re: Tickled pink with my PPA *Bling*

Ok the no pins on the ribbon thing seems to be an urban legend. It's not written anywhere and people through the generations (I asked masters who got theirs in the 70's and 80's about pin rules and they looked at me like I'm making things up) and non of their letters stated anything about do/dont's on the thing. The only rule that anyone remembers is that you need to wear it during photographic functions and to not put them in frames which quite a few did anyways.

I'm thinking this is more of a soft unwritten policy a couple of past presidents came up in the 90's. Might have came out of the ridiculous display (almost restaurant "flair" pin proportions) of pins out there. I agree that the amount of pins (and I have three POTY so I do my share of "flair") out there on peoples ribbons in addition to the merit bars just looks outright silly.

So I propose that the "ribbon and medals" committee sits down and write down a ten-commandment type thing for the ribbon. I for one would propose that it's mandatory to wash and iron those darn things at least every quarter. Oh you know who you guys are. That yellow is bright yellow not mango.

Re: Help! I cannot find certain information on PPA achievements?

Robert,

PPA is for the most part a group of independant business people. It stands to reason that those independent businessmen & women are also very independent thinkers. If we wanted someone to tell us exactly how to do something, we probably would not like being self employeed. So thinking of the majority of the membership in that light, you can understand why maybe they wouldn't take so kindly to a regimented process to gain a degree. So I will try to answer what seems to be your questions. First off there is no application or fee to pay. The merit and degree coordinator at PPA keeps track of your merits and will send you the proper paperwork when you have compelted all the requirments for a degree. Basically the paperwork is just so they get your name the way you want it on your certificate and to let them know if you will come to IUSA to the awards ceremony or they should just mail it to you. The Craftsmen degree is not a prereq to teh Masters. Each degree is a stand alone degree.

Each degree requires a total of 25 merits. The majority of which (13) have to come from the area the degree represents. So the Master's degree which is for photography has to have at least 13 print ( exhibition) merits. The other 12 can be any kind, even more print merits if you want. The Master Electronic Imaging requires 13 EI print merits from entering EI competition. The Craftsman degree is for teaching so at least 13 merits have to come from speaking. The page link Steff gave you has info on some of the ways you can earn merits, basically service to the association.

To say "PPA MASTERS CERTIFICATION IN PHOTOGRAPHY" is inaccurate. The certification program is seperate from the degree program and is administered by a group owned by PPA but under it's own umbrella sorta speak. I am ambivelent about certification so I will let someone who is a proponent of the program tell you more about it.

Cost - who can say what it will cost. If you enter prints and get 4 loan images the first year and 3 general collection and 1 loan image the next year. You would have your 13 print merits in 2 years. (I don't think anyone has ever done that.) So your cost to earn the print merits would be greatly less then someone who only earns 1 or 2 merits a year and has to enter many years to get 13. Also the additional merits can be from attending PPA educational programs ( some but not all give merits). In that case you have the expense of attending those programs. If all your additional merits come from service, like being an affiliate prersident, writing an article for the magazine, etc etc, you wouldn't have any out of pocket expense. And getting back to the prints, if you are doing all your own artwork and printing in house, your actual print cost will be less then someone who pays an artist to enhance their images and then has a lab make prints. You can actually earn the Craftsman degree and make a profit, if you find associations willing to pay you to speak for them.

I know you didn't ask but in the interest of being complete there are additional awards you can earn after the degrees. A gold bar is awarded for each 25 additional merits after you earn your degree. Those addt'l merits can be any combination of type, print, service, etc. Imaging Excellance is awarded for 13 loan prints. Then after that you can earn the diamond bar (I think it's called) for each additional 13 loan - or 26 total loan images for the first diamond bar. Not very many people have those.

I hope this info is helpful. My offer to talk on the phone still stands anytime.

Re: Help! I cannot find certain information on PPA achievements?

Actually I think I understand the confusion, because I just went through it when I applied to grad schools.

The degree program from PPA is a "industry" or a "professional" degree - it is not an accredited university, and thus saying you have a Master's Degree in Photography (MFA) is not the same thing as a Master of Photography from PPA (M.Photog.) Whether it means more or less or the same or whatever - that's a topic for a different thread. However, the M.Photog. and the Cr.Photog (Craftsman) are professional only, and not accepted by universities. (However, they do look good on a professional resume and very respected in the field of professional photography!)

This is why there's no tuition fee, so to speak. Like Keith explained, it could take you many years and much money to merit all your prints for Master or fund your speaking for Craftsman. Or you might do a lot of work for PPA through articles, website, and whatever else and then get those merits with less money but a lot of time dedication.

Keith already mentioned the other degrees (MEI, gold bars, etc.) so I'll leave that part out. He knows better than I do anyway.

Service merits can be obtained from attending PPA approved courses, such as Imaging, Super Monday, etc. There's a more complete list somewhere. But anything in the magazine that says "merit" - that's generally a service merit.

Re: Help! I cannot find certain information on PPA achievements?

Been thinking about. Certification is probably a little more like what you are expecting. You apply, pay the fee, fulfill the requirments, pass the test and you get the certification. Degrees - in particular the Master's degree - have a higher standard. You don't have to just submit passing prints, you have to enter prints that are merit quality. There are no quotas that judges follow or anything like that but generally about 30-40% of entered prints will earn merit or loan level. Imagine a college course where only the top 30% of the class will pass. When I was in college a long time ago, if you got a D you passed the course and got credit. You could keep getting D's and eventually get a degree. The PPA degrees are not like that. You could enter prints for 30 years and if you never earn a merit ( an A or a B), you will never get a Master's degree. It just really doesn't work to compare the PPA degrees to a college degree. A college degree is about education and learning. A PPA degree is about achievement and performance. The learning that occurs in order to reach that level of achievement is just one of the great side benefits but is not what the degree is recognizing.

Re: Help! I cannot find certain information on PPA achievements?

To add to the mix, there are a few more ways to receive PPA service & achievement merits; such as being officer (convention chairperson or president) in your affiliated association, attendance at PPA Imaging, and affiliated school (most are five days), and attendance at other affiliated educational events. Good Luck.

BTW. The Certification process has requirements to maintain: every five years one needs to show attendance at continuing education, or submit prints; with the PPA degree program, once a degree is earned, it's with you.

Re: Details on earning degrees

Rick,

We do have something to celebrate those who have achieved this amazing status: the Imaging Excellence Award and the Imaging Excellence Bar.

Imaging Excellence Award
This award is presented to those who have achieved not only the Master of Photography degree, but have continued to excel in the International Print Competition. These individuals have placed 13 images in the renowned Loan Collection.

Imaging Excellence Bar
This bar is presented to those who have achieved not only the Master of Photography degree and the Imaging Excellence Award, but have continued to excel in the International Print Competition. These individuals have placed an additional 13 images in the renowned Loan Collection after receiving their Imaging Excellence Award.

Dave received his Imaging Excellence Award and a few bars as well! We have several of our PPA members who now have their Imaging Excellence Awards and bars and several will be receiving them this year at the Award & Degree ceremony.